A few times a semester, an ear-piercing squealing fills the first floor of the Morgan Library. It’s the alarm on the south emergency exit doors that open onto the Eddy building. It’s an unsettling sound for students studying in the area.

Despite the squealing, visitors sometimes use the emergency exit to leave the building, presumably because it’s more convenient than the official exit on the north side.

The squealing will soon stop though, because a project to turn the south emergency exit doors into a second entrance is scheduled to start on May 13. 

During construction, the sidewalk between Eddy and Morgan Library may be closed. Noise from construction will impact sound levels on the first-floor study area on the south side of the building.

The book drop on the south side will be closed. Library users can return books to the book drop near the main entrance or at the Library Service desk.

Features of the new entrance:

• New doors 
• Expanded vestibule
• New concrete and landscaping
• ADA-accessible ramp

The entrance was one of the original entrances when the library opened in 1965. After being closed for decades to control foot traffic through the building, the new south entrance will make entering and exiting the library more convenient and accessible. With about 800,000 visits per year, the library’s main entrance on the north side is a known bottleneck for foot traffic into the building.

The south entrance is expected to re-open in late summer. After the project is complete, construction to improve the main entrance and lobby will begin. That project is scheduled to be completed by the start of fall semester.